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Trelleborg acquires coated fabrics businesses in North America

Trelleborg has, through its business area Trelleborg Coated Systems, signed an agreement to acquire the assets and businesses from the US-based privately owned Uretek Archer LLC Group, comprising Uretek LLC and Archer Rubber Company LLC.

Uretek and Archer develop and manufacture urethane-coated fabrics and rubber-coated fabrics respectively. Their products and solutions are used across multiple segments, such as aerospace, healthcare, outdoor recreation, government and defense.

“The acquired businesses have superior technical knowledge with focused R&D and product development, in addition to solid partnerships with customers. The acquisition complements our existing business in engineered fabrics and broadens our product range in North America,” says Dario Porta, president of the Trelleborg Coated Systems business area.

The businesses have manufacturing facilities in New Haven, Connecticut and in Milford, Massachusetts, US, respectively. Total sales are mainly in North America and amounted to about SEK 480 million in 2013. The transaction is expected to be finalised in the third quarter of 2014. Visit: www.trelleborg.com

Yara to acquire majority position in Galvani, Brazil

Yara International ASA has entered into an agreement to acquire a 60% stake in Galvani Indústria, Comércio e Serviços SA, for an enterprise value of USD 318 million.

Jørgen Ole Haslestad

Galvani is an independent, privately held fertiliser company, controlled by Mr Rodolfo Galvani Jr., a Brazilian entrepreneur. The company is engaged in phosphate mining, Single Super Phosphate (SSP) production and distribution of fertilisers in the centre and north-east of Brazil. Galvani also owns licenses for two new greenfield phosphate mine projects in Brazil.

The acquisition is in line with Yara’s strategy for growth in Latin America, seeking to develop a production footprint in Brazil to complement its established position, following the recent acquisition of the Bunge fertiliser business in Brazil.

“This acquisition represents another significant step in realising our Latin American growth strategy, furter establishing our position in Brazil as a long-term industry player, committed to developing and investing in Brazilian agribusiness,” said Jørgen Ole Haslestad, president and CEO of Yara. Visit: www.yara.com

ABB and Volvo form global partnership

Pekka Titinen

ABB has announced a partnership with Volvo Buses, one of the world’s leading bus manufacturers, to co-develop and commercialise electric and hybrid buses with open standardsbased direct current (DC) fast charging systems.

The cooperation creates a city-wide standardised charging system for electric and electric hybrid buses that can charge buses quickly through an automatic roof-top connection system at bus stops or through cabled charging systems overnight.

This approach, based on internationally accepted standards, enables maximum re-use of existing e-mobility technologies, thereby ensuring a rapid deployment of urban e-mobility. The first joint project for Luxembourg’s public transportation system is planned for 2015.

ABB and Volvo will contribute with their respective expertise in power grids and e-buses to further develop e-bus fast-charging standards, such as communications protocols for infrastructure, electrical grids and e-buses. “We are very pleased to partner with a global transportation industry leader that shares our vision of e-mobility in line with ABB’s commitment of power and productivity for a better world,” said Pekka Tiitinen, head of ABB’s Discrete Automation and Motion division. Visit: www.abb.com

Beijer Ref AB invests in environmentally-friendly refrigeration technology

The Swedish refrigeration group, Beijer Ref AB, is acquiring the remaining 49% of the shares in the Italian SCM Frigo Group, a leading European manufacturer of refrigeration units based on environmentally-friendly carbon dioxide technology. SCM Frigo, established in 1979, exports around 85% of its products and has a strong market position within the rapidly expanding segment for environmentally-friendly refrigeration technology.

“Beijer Ref acquired 51% of SCM Frigo in 2011 as it is one of the European companies which most successfully drives the transition to environmentally-friendly solutions within the refrigeration industry. The company’s development has since been so positive that our group now elects to bring forward the option to acquire the remaining portion, says Per Bertland, CEO of Beijer Ref.

SCM Frigo supplements Beijer Ref’s other product portfolio with standard products and custom-adapted solutions with the market’s most up-to-date environmental technology. Visit: www.beijerref.com